Car coupler



Dec. 9, 1924.

A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 1

AIV/ll/ will! @51 amen wig Dec. 9, 1924. 1,518,242

A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER Fil ed Nov. 1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q z emtoz Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ARTHUR J. BAZELEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10 NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, 01-110, A

CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAR COUPLER.

Application filed November To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. BAZELEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, *Cuyahoga County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. I is a plan, partly in section, of a car coupler embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with the forward end of the shank partly broken away, thereof; Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2, but partly in section; and Fig. 4t is a section on lines 1-4 of Fig. 3.

My invention relates to car couplers, and its particular object is to provide greater flexibility between couple-rs than can be obtained by the use of a coupler with an integral shank. To this end my improvement comprises pivoting the coupler head to the shank and in. providing means whereby the head is normally centered relative to the axis of theshank. My invention also comprises the various features which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the coupler head and B the coupler shank, which are connected by a vertically extending pin 2 so arranged that it is in quadruple shear, the coupler head being provided with three rearwardly extending projections 3, 4t and 5 and the shank being bifurcated at its forward end and thus provided with two lugs 6 and 7. The pin 9) passes through registering apertures in these projections and lugs and is held in place by a bolt or pin 8, which seats in the lower projection 5.

Extending rearwardly from the central projection 4 of the coupler head, and preferably integral therewith, is a loop 9 within which is seated the centering spring 10, which is held in place by the inwardly eX- tending dowels 11. The loop 9 is of less height than the diameter of the spring 10, so that the spring extends above and below the loop. The sides of the coupler shank B near its forward end are slotted, as shown, at 12, so that as the head A swings relative to the shank B the loop 9 passes through the slots 12. The spring 10,, because its diameter is larger than the height of the loop, bears at each end against the inner faces 13 of the side walls of the shank as well as against the loop. The spring 10 is under 1, 1922. Serial No. 598,254.

slight initial compression when assembled in the loop 9 and its bearing at each end against both the loop 9 and the inner side walls of the shank tends normally to hold the coupler in central position.

In assembling the device the spring 10 is compressed and placed within the loop 9 and is held therein by the dowels 11. The coupler head A with the spring 10 in place is then slid rearwardly into engagement with the shank B until the apertures in the projections 3, 4t and 5 register with those in the lugs 6 and 7 and the loop seats'in the slots 12 and in the shank. The pin 2 is then inserted into the registering apertures and is secured by the bolt 8.

When a car equipped with my improved coupler passes around a curve the shank B will swing laterally until it comes against one of the side stops 14. The conpler shank in such position is indicated in dotted lines on either side of Fig. 1. Upon further angling or lateral displacement between the cars, the head will swing relative to the shank, thus compressing, the centering spring 10. When the head has been swung relative to the shank, as is shown in dotted lines at the right-hand side of Fig. 1. the loop 9 forces the end of the spring 10 away from its engagement with a shank wall and compresses it against the opposite wall of the shank (as shown at the right of Fig. 1). The compression of the spring will assist returning the coupler head to its normal position in alignment with its shank as soon as a straight track is reached. To limit the swing of the head A relative to the shank B the coupler head and shank are provided with limiting stops 1'5 and 16. As is shown in the dotted lines at the righthand side of Fig. 1, these stops 15 and 16 are in Contact.

Devices constructed in accordance with my invention are particularly applicable to passenger car service, in which the extreme length of the cars results in far greater angling on a given curve, and by pivoting the coupler head to the shank in the manner described, greater lateral flexibility is obtained, which prevents distortion and damage to coupler head and sills. It is also of great advantage that the connection between head and shank is in quadruple shear, and that the parts are all housed within the shank.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a car coupler, a- ,coupler head having a plurality of horizontal projections extending rearwardly therefrom, a coupler shank having a plurality of lugs extending forwardly therefrom, said projections and lugs being apertured for reception of a vertically extending pivot pin, one of the projections on the coupler head extending rearwardly from the pivot pin and supporting a centering spring, said spring being en gaged by said projection and engaging internal surfaces of said coupler shank.

2. In a car coupler, a coupler head having a plurality of horizontal projections extending rearwardly therefrom, a coupler shank having a plurality of lugs extending forwardly therefrom, said projections and lugs being apertured for reception of a vertically extending pivot pin, one of the projections from the coupler head extending rearwardly from the pivot pin in the form of a loo-p, and a centering spring supported in said loop andengaging said loop and internal portions of the coupler shank.

3. Ina ear coupler, a coupler head having a plurality of horizontal projections extending rearwardly therefrom, a coupler shank having a plurality of lugs extending forwardly therefrom, said projections and lugs being apertured for reception of avertically extending pivot pin, one of the projections from the coupler head extending rearwardly from the pivot pin in the form of a loop, and a centering spring supported in said loop, said spring being of greater diameter than the height of said loop and engaging at both its ends interior surfaces of the coupler shank above and below said loop.

4;. In a car coupler, a coupler head having at least one projection extending rcarwardly therefrom, a coupler shank having at its forward end a pivotal engagcn'ient with said head, said shank also having a bifurcated forward end for reception of said projection, a laterally extending ventering spring normally enclosed by said shank and adapted uponlateral movement of said projection relative to said shank to be compressed between said projection and one side of said shank.

5. In a car coupler, a coupler head having at least one projection extending rcarnuirdly therefrom, a coupler shank having at its forward end a pivotal engagement with said head, said shank having a horizontal slot therethrough for reception of said projection, a laterally extending centering spring carried by said projection and engaging the coupler shank, said projection upon move ment of the coupler relative to the shank being arranged to swing out through said slot and to be returned to normal position by said spring.

ARTHUR J. BAZELEY. 

